NEW YORK – Scott Kingery has enough to think about just on the baseball field, trying to figure out if he's going to play second base, third base, shortstop or in the outfield.

There's also the whirlwind experience of finding out just four days before the regular-season started that he would not only make the roster but also sign a record-breaking contract for a drafted player before making his major league debut.

So you can imagine Kingery's feelings heading into the Phillies' home opener on Thursday.

"I think from the time I signed the deal and found out I was on the opening day roster, through my debut, was crazy," Kingery said. "My mind was spinning. I didn't get a ton of sleep. ... It kind of just goes back to playing baseball and having fun again."

It likely will be much different from the reception Phillies manager Gabe Kapler will receive from the crowd at Citizens Bank Park after a tough opening week. The Phillies played their first five games on the road and lost four of them. That included their 4-2 loss to the Mets on Wednesday.

That's not a good way for a manager to endear himself to the home crowd.

"I'm excited about going back to Philadelphia," Kapler said. "I think the players are as well. ... I think the fans are going to be excited to get their first glimpse of Scotty Kingery. I would be, too."

As for the reaction he might receive, Kapler said: "My focus is on getting our team ready to play our first home series. This is not about me. This is about our players. Our players are very, very exciting. Our club is a good, deep, interesting club."

This loss, of course, was typical of the others, where Kapler's moves were brought into question. On Wednesday, the Mets' broke open a 2-2 tie when Amed Rosario hit a two-run triple over the head of right fielder Nick Williams in the sixth inning.

Williams was playing shallow because Kapler said he liked the matchup between pitcher Drew Hutchinson on Rosario, the Mets' No. 9 hitter. The Mets also had a runner at third, and Kapler didn't want a shallow pop fly to fall in.

"The slider [of Hutchinson] was going to play well," Kapler said. "We were anticipating weaker contact. ... We were positioned effectively from my perspective."

This is all part of Kingery's learning experience. And it has been uneven so far. He didn't start Wednesday, but pinch hit in the seventh and struck out. Then he stayed in the game at shortstop. He is hitting .286 without a home run or RBI.

But Kingery has yet to see his new home ballpark, find a place to live or even drive around the city.

"I have been to the clubhouse before, but that was last year, and not for an actual game, and not during the season," he said.

For now, Kingery said he will stay with teammate Rhys Hoskins and try to figure out the living arrangements later, with help from his agent.

That, of course, doesn't make Kingery any different from several of his teammates. The Phillies have 14 players on the roster who were not with the team for their home opener last year.

But many of those players came up during the season in 2017 and at least had a chance to adjust to the major league lifestyle. Those players include Willams, Hoskins, shortstop J.P. Crawford and catcher Jorge Alfaro.

Williams, for example, had a place lined up for this season after coming up last June. He hit .288 with 12 homers and 55 RBIs. But he said he was reluctant to find a place right away as he was worried about getting sent back down to the minors. He said he was planning to move in Wednesday night, once the Phillies arrived back from New York.

"I don’t want to assume things took quickly," Williams said. "I had that feeling the whole year. I was just balling out. I still had that thought in the back of my mind that I don’t want to get set down. It didn’t stress me out and make me try to do too much. It just kept that flame burning that I didn’t want to get sent down. I think that helped."

Hoskins doesn't have to worry about that, either.

He came up last August and hit 18 home runs. He is off to a strong start offensively this season, hitting .471 with a homer and three RBIs. Hoskins is one of two players to start every game so far this season at their natural position. Cesar Hernandez is the other, at second base.

And Kingery shouldn't have to worry about leasing a place either. That is, when he can find the time to look.

After all, teams don't just hand out a contract like the one Kingery received that could last for as many as nine years and be worth as much as $65 million before a player's major league debut.

That's why Kingery doesn't necessarily care where he bats or where plays in the field, as long as he plays. And it's easy to see that the Phillies want him to play. That could even include on Thursday in the Phillies' home opener.

That would be fine with Kingery.

"You hear a lot about the fans and how passionate they are," he said. "I have seen pictures and videos from previous opening days where they kind of walk in from center field, and I think that looks like a really, really special moment. So I am really looking forward to that and getting out and playing in front of the home fans."

No doubt, the feeling will be mutual from the fans toward Kingery. That might not be the case for Kapler, however, not after a rough opening week to his managerial debut.